Herak Orcan
Herak Orcan, also known as "The Raven King" and "Chief Herald of the 2nd Schism", is the most powerful and feared rogue mancer currently alive on Erum. He is the second most wanted target of the church, just behind the great Vampyre Armand De Angouleme and is both brother and enemy of the famous witch hunter Marius Dreddmoth. Life Whilst it is convenient often to imagine that all evil in the world was born evil, Herak is an example of how life can turn a man and make him burn with hatred. Early Life Born into a poor family, Herak's upbringing was rather uninteresting. He lived in the small village of Bramble Prior, a small close knit community in which he was well liked. His brother's name was Marius, later to become the famous Witch Hunter Marius Dreddmoth. He was extremely close with his brother as such both were upset when it was discovered Herak had magical ability and was to be sent to learn the ways of the Mancers at the age of 13. Whilst Herak displayed a huge amount of natural magical ability, it was not a subject that interested him. He soon became disillusioned with life at the college and soon wished to be back by his brother's side. His life was soon made worse by a Mancer named Horace Harrowait who viciously assaulted the children in their dormitories, the boys would fall alseep hearing the agonised cries of their friends. After several failed escape attemps that were punished with severe beatings from the head mancer, he finally manage to escape and made his way back to his home village. Whilst most children would have been allowed to leave after showing such resistance, the Mancers had seen his natural ability and demanded he complete his education. As such they threatened to murder Marius, forcing Herak's parents to reject their child. Spurned by his own parents, Herak went back to the college embittered and frightened. Upon return the brutal treatment continued, it lasted for years, an own personal nightmare with no contact from his parents or brother. The betrayal rotted inside him, driving him to excell at the very art he had hated. Soon he was a prodigy, the college's pride and greatest student. The day of his Mancerhood grew steadily closer and it was on that day that he finally had his revenge. The Raven King It was on the day of his graduation college that Herak gained his name The Raven King. Horace was giving a speech to the gathered audience about the greatness of the Mancer College and the good they were doing for humanity when blood started to drip from left eye socket. Quickly the drip became a torrent, Horace was clutching his left eye has blood gushed over his gown, shocking the audience. As he moved his hands away, slowly a beak force it's way through his iris till a black beak was portruding from his eye. The shocked audience looked on in horror as the a Raven's head slow popped out the man's entire eye the other eye was quickly to follow in the same fashion. Slowly his whole body was torn apart as ravens forced their way through his very flesh, their bloodied beaks puncturing the thick strained silk of his gown. As his body seemed to all but dissapear in a mist of blood and feather, a dark shape began to form. The offal and feathers began to form a humanoid figure, dripping with blood it became a hooded figure reaved in obsidian feathers, clutching Horace's staff at his side. He slowly pulled down his hood to reveal his face, it was Herak, his face scarred but gleaming with triumph. It was at this moment that he noticed in the audience, the face of his family. His mother, father and beloved brother stood staring at him in wide eyed horror. Feeling his face drain and the enourmity of his actions suddenly upon, Herak panicked. He hurled himself towards the exist and seeing himself chased, launched a huge fireball into the wall of the building, Just as he has flew through the door, the left hand of the huge building had collapsed, leading to the whole building falling down. Of 200 people within the building the only survivor was his brother Marius. After rescuing his brother from the ruins, they had a confrontation. Maddened with grief over the loss of his parents an in a way his brother, Marius thrust a knife into Herka's side. Herak fled into the woods where he was not seen for a long time. Herald of the 2nd Schism The Herak that returned years later to the civilised world was completely different, dehumanised and sociopathic, he began to mercilessly persue followers. Tempting the fat and the weak with promises of power, all those that joined him gained a grizzle mark of his approval, the strongest baring the dark black wings of their master. The became known and feared as "The Raven Kin". Soon he had gained enough followers to make his move. He took his 100 powerful mancer followers and launched a surprise attack on the Great College in the capital city of Cirandor. After the "Battle of 100 steps", Herak had been defeated by his brother Marius and sent into full retreat. Taking with him his followers. He dissapeared for some years, assumed dead by many. However recent reports suggest he is still alive and well, brutal mutilated corpses baring the signs of his dark magic have been found and whispers say he is ready to strike again. Family Herak was born into a poor family, one of two brothers. The other brother's name was Marius, one day to become the Witch Hunter Marius Dreddmoth. Ravenry The several years he was missing, Harkan spent becoming a more powerful mancer, practising his arts in dark woods on any stranger unfortunate enough to stumble upon him. It was in these years that he begand to create his own form of magic. To some extent it was a branch of Necromancy however it involved the transfiguration of matter and the creation of living creatures, in this case Ravens. He became able to turn parts of his own body into that of a giant raven and to others he became able to cruelly change into horrific monstrosities. He gained a small group of slaves to serve him, each one had lost their nose and mouth, for it to be replaced with a twisted beak, puss leaking from it's edges and gnarled skin surrounding it.